G-protein coupled receptors play important roles in diverse signaling processes, including those involved with sensory and hormonal signal transduction. Eating disorders, which represent a major health concern throughout the world, have been linked to GPCR regulation. On the one hand, disorders such as obesity, the excess deposition of fat in the subcutaneous tissues, manifest themselves by an increase in body weight. Individuals who are obese often have, or are susceptible to, medical abnormalities including respiratory difficulties, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and hypertension. On the other hand, disorders like cachexia, the general lack of nutrition and wasting associated with chronic disease and/or emotional disturbance, are associated with a decrease in body weight.
The neuropeptide melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH), a cyclic hypothalamic peptide involved in the regulation of several functions in the brain, has previously been found to be a major regulator of eating behavior and energy homeostasis. It has previously been determined that MCH is the natural ligand for the 353-amino acid orphan G-protein-coupled-receptor (GPCR) termed SLC-1 (also known as GPR24). Subsequent to this determination, SLC-1, which is sequentially homologous to the somatostatin receptors, is frequently referred to as melanin-concentrating hormone receptor (MCH receptor, MCHR or MCHR1) (see Chambers et al., Nature 400:261-65 (1999); Saito et al., Nature 400:265-69 (1999); and Saito et al., TEM 11(8):299-303 (2000)).
Compelling evidence exists that MCH is involved in regulation of eating behavior. First, intracerebral administration of MCH in rats resulted in stimulation of feeding. Next, mRNA corresponding to the MCH precursor is up-regulated in the hypothalamus of genetically obese mice and of fasted animals. Finally, mice deficient in MCH are leaner and have a decreased food intake relative to normal mice. MCH is believed to exert its activity by binding to MCHR, resulting in the mobilization of intracellular calcium and a concomitant reduction in cAMP levels (see Chambers et al., Nature 400:261-65 (1999); Shimada et al. Nature 396:670-74 (1998)). MCH also activates inwardly rectifying potassium channels, and MCHR has been found to interact with both Gαi protein and Gαq protein (Saito et al., TEM 11(8):299-303 (2000)). Moreover, analysis of the tissue localization of MCHR indicates that it is expressed in those regions of the brain involved in olfactory learning and reinforcement. The cumulative data suggest that modulators of MCHR should have an effect on neuronal regulation of food intake (see Saito et al., Nature 400:265-69 (1999)).
MCH has been shown to modulate behaviors other than feeding, such as anxiety (Gonzales et al. (1996) Peptides 17:171-177; Monzon et al. (1999) Physiol. Behav. 67:813-817).
The identification of MCHR modulators is useful for the study of physiological processes mediated by MCHR and the development of therapeutic agents for the treatment or prevention of conditions and disorders associated with weight regulation, learning, anxiety and other neuronal-related functions.